Folding coach-step.



I. F BERRY. FOLDING COACH STEP. APPLICATION FILED APR-16.1917.

Patented Jan. 8,1918;

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J. F. BERRY.

'FOLDING'COACH STEP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1917 1,25%,998; Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

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JOHN F. BERRY, OF LUFKIN, TEXAS.

FOLDING COACH-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1.912%.

Application filed April 16, 1917. Serial No, 162,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F BERRY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lufkin, in the county of Angelina and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Coach-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to railroad rolling stock and the invention relates more particularly to an improved folding step therefor.

The dominant object of the invention is to provide a foldable step for rolling stock such as passenger coaches and the like which will be automatically folded uponthe closing of the car door, thereby preventing the projecting of the step beyond the sides of the coach and the boarding of the coach when in motion.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a foldable step operable by movement of the usual platform door of railroad coaches, whereby it will be automatically lowered upon raising of the platform door and raised or swung to folded position upon the lowering of the platform door.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for imparting an upward thrust to the railroad coach platform door upon the releasing of the same thus facilitating raising thereof.

Among other aims and objects of the invention may be recited, the provision of a device of the character mentioned with a view to compactness, and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple, the cost of production small, and efficiency and operation high.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of my invention;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevation of a railroad coach with my improved step applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section therethrough Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail in section showing the means for imparting an upward thrust to the railroad coach platform door subsequent to the releasing thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the foldable step and its connection with the coach platform door.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, a conventional type of railroad coach is shown and designated 1 and has arranged upon the platform 2 thereof the usual swinging platform door indicated by the numeral 3, it of course being understood that the said door is hinged to the platform over a suitable opening, through the medium of hinges designated 4-. As means for normally maintaining the platform door 2-3 in its closed position, a spring catch or like securing means, not shown, may be and preferably is arranged upon the platform 2 and is adapted to be engaged with the free extremity of the said door when swung into closed position.

A plurality of steps are arranged adjacent the opening formed in the coach platform 2, the lowermost thereof being provided with an opening 6, the purpose of which will be presently apparent.

To the lowermost step 5, there is hingedly secured a step indicated by the numeral 7, suitable brackets 8 having bearing pintles 9 formed thereon being secured to the opposite ends of the said step and arranged in bearings carried upon the lower extremity of the said step 5. As will be noted, the bearing pintles 9 are arranged slightly beyond the rear marginal edge of the step 7 while to the said edge, an arm 10 having a looped portion formed in its upper end is secured.

A bifurcated bracket element 11 is secured to the under face of the platform door 3 and pivotally carries a connecting rod 12, the lower extremity of which is bent at substantially right-angles as indicated by the nume'al 13 and passes through the looped upper end of the arm 10 whereat it is secured in position through the medium of a cotter pin 14 or like fastening device. Due to the pivotal mounting of the step 7 upon the lowermost step 5, it is obvious that upon the raising of the platform doors 3 an upward pull will be imparted to the arm 10 and as a consequence, the step 7 will be moved into its lowermost or operative position. However, upon lowering of the platform door a downward thrust is imparted to the arm 10 whereupon the step 7 will be coach car step.

3 an upward thrust will be platform door imparted to the same in order that it may.

be readily raised to its full open position.

It is to be understood, that the improved foldablc step may be ar 'anged upon the step on either side of a railroad coach as shown in Fig. 1.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described the combination with the hingedplatform door of a coach, of fixed steps carried by the platform adjacent the platform door of the coach a step pivotally mounted upon the lowermost of said first steps, a rearwardly and upwardly extending apertured arm secured to said second step, a connecting rod pivotally engaged with the platform door and extending downwardly through the lowermost fixed step, the lower end of said rod being connected with the extremity of said arm, and spring means carried by the platform door and engaged with a portion of the coach for imparting an upward thrust to said door.

2. In a deviceof the character described, the combination with the hinged platform door of a coach, of steps carried adjacent the platform door upon the coach, a second step, brackets secured to the opposite ends of the second step and carrying bearing pintles adjacent certain of their extremities, said bearing pintles being mounted in bearings carried upon the lowermost of said first mentioned step, an apertured arm secured to said second step adj acent its pivotal mounting, a connecting rod pivotally engaged with the aperturedarm and said platform door, and spring means carried by the platform door and engaged with a portion of the coach for imparting an upward thrust to the same. i V

In testimony whereof, I aliiX my signature hereto. 7 V

JOHN F. BERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the"Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. 0. 

